Clothes-line prop.



w. HETHERINGTON;

CLOTHES LINE PROP. APPLIOAIION FILED IEB. 4, 1909.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

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WILLIAM HETI-IERINGTGN, OF EVEREST,KA1\TSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO W. C. ALEXANDER, OF EVEREST, KANSAS, ONE-FOURTH 'IO CHARLES FRANKLIN TEETOR, OF OSKALOOSA, KANSAS, AND ONE-FOURTH TO GILES COLLINS DANA, OF EVEREST,

KANSAS.

CLOTHES-LINE PROP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patfilltfid N 23, IQQQ,

Application filed February 4, 1909. Serial No. 476,156.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HETHERING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Everest, in the county of Brown and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Props; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to clothes line props.

The invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side eleration of the device extended and shown in use 111 connectlon wlth the clothes-line; Fig.

2 is a perspective view of the device partially extended; Fig. 3 is a detail section through the upper portion of the top member. Fig. t is a detail vertical section.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent two parallel arranged members, the upper end of the former being provided with a retaining band 3, adapted to surround the latter and the lower end of the latter member 2 being provided with a retaining band 4 adapted to surround the member 1. A limiting stop 5 is connected to member 1 and is adapted to be engaged by the band 4: so as to limit the downward movement of the member 2. A similar stop 6 is secured to the member 2 and is adapted to engage the band 3 to limit the upward movement of the member 2.

The lower end of the member 1 is provided with a sharpened foot 7 which is constructed by bending a sheet of metal around the end and then downwardly into the sharp ened pin 8. The upper end is secured to the inner side of the member 1 and is bent at right-angles into the foot piece 9, by which the sharpened pin 8 may be forced into the ground. The outside portion of the member 2 is provided with a hand-piece 10 by which it may be raised upon the member 1 or depressed therefrom as the occasion may require.

In order to lock the parts in adjusted position, I secure to the front face of the member 1 a series of plates 11 having, bent up from their edges, the cam lugs 12 which are inclined on their lower portions to cause the locking bail 13 to ride up thereon. This locking bail is substantially U-shaped in construction and straddles the members 1 and 2, with its right-angular ends driven into the member 2, as shown. A suitable staple 14 is secured over the bail 13 adjacent its secured ends so as to prevent a pivoting action and serving to hold the engaging end in contact with the front face of the member 1. At the upper engaging end of the bail 13, I bend the same outwardly and down wardly into position to act as a handle 15, by which the bail may be disengaged from the cam lugs 12. It will thus be seen that the members 1 and 2 may be adjusted upon each other to secure the desired height and may be collapsed by simply disengaging the bail from the cam lug with which it is in contact, and pressing upon the hand-piece 10.

The upper end of the member 2 is provided with a pair of bearings 16 in which is journaled the clothes-line hook 17 of substantial U-shaped formation, with each leg thereof turned up to form a hook portion which lies substantially parallel with the leg itself. In order that this hook may swing freely at all times, I place a cap 18 over the same and secure it to the front and rear sides of the member 2, so that all moisture is kept away from the bearings and the same are prevented from rusting. This cap also acts to hold the bands in place.

A hook, 17, is pivoted centrally to the top of the member 2, and under normal conditions with the clothes line resting therein, the extreme lower portions of the hooks are substantially vertically below the bearing of the hook. When the clothes line is engaged in the hooks it is pulled against the side of the member, 2, and thus firmly held in position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

A clothes-line prop comprising a standard, bearings on one end of said standard, a substantially U shaped member journaled in said bearings, said member having its legs depending on either side of said standard and terminating in line supporting hooks,

and a cap covering the bearings and adapted 1G- to hold the same in place.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM HETHERINGTON.

Witnesses:

R. C. JONES, N. F. XVRIGHT. 

